TH City Hall nearly finished

Updated 10:36 am, Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Contractors are putting the finishing touches on
Terrell Hills' new municipal complex, a larger, modernized version of its predecessor at 5100 N. North New Braunfels Ave.

City Council members, project consultants and a few residents toured the new facilities before the Jan. 14 council meeting.

The 14,850-square-foot complex houses administrative offices, two conference rooms, the police and fire departments, and a council chamber with a seating capacity of at least 64 visitors.

Large flat-screen television sets are placed in various offices and meeting rooms, including three in council chambers that allow visitors to easily follow visual presentations. Large windows in the chambers permit an abundant amount of natural lighting.

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In recent months during the renovations, council has had to meet in a small, temporary structure that left little room for participants.

The police department contains one small room where a suspect could be questioned. A camera looks down from above, allowing personnel in an adjoining room to observe. Another room is dedicated toward evidence storage.

The fire station features a spacious bay for trucks and equipment. Contractors are finalizing the last of the furnishings, as well as landscaping and the parking lot surface around the facility.

There will be more parking space compared with the prior City Hall configuration.

Local officials had hoped to open the facility for business sooner and under budget, but recent inclement weather delayed work. Total final dollar figures aren't in yet, but contractors are completing the project under budget.

“I'll settle for beating the budget. We can't control the rain,” said City Manager Columbus Stutes.

Councilman Charles Parish, a longtime photography studio owner, also has suggested placing photos by area residents, even possibly students, in high-traffic parts of the new complex.

City officials hope to have a community grand opening for the facility in early March.

In other area government action, last week:

Alamo Heights City Manager Mark Browne briefed City Council Jan. 14 on plans to renovate and expand that city's municipal complex.

Design development continues, and city staff anticipates a formal presentation to council Feb. 11 to approve a design and an updated budget.

If all goes well that date, the city will go into the construction document phase, the last phase before demolition begins in mid-May.

The city still plans to dismantle the decades-old water tower – affectionately known by many longtime residents as “the tin man” – soon.

According to Browne, the city has narrowed its search for temporary facilities for the administrative staff during construction to 221 Austin Highway.

“We hope to have one of these locations selected very soon. Relocation of the administrative staff is anticipated in April and the new location should be in operation 15 to 18 months during the construction of City Hall,” Browne told a reporter.

In other business Jan. 14, council approved soliciting competitive sealed proposals for the city's street maintenance program. Advertisements will be released soon with a contract being awarded as early as early March. Streets scheduled for improvements include:

Claywell from Broadway to North New Braunfels Avenue to include new speed cushions;

Jones Maltsberger Road from Basse Road to the low-water crossing south of Alamo Heights Boulevard.

A group of employees from the local Wells Fargo Bank will volunteer their time to clean up the city's part of the Olmos Basin area Jones Maltsberger from Basse to Alamo Heights Boulevard 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

If weather does not permit, the alternate day is Feb. 2 at the same time.

Hollywood Park must wait another month to see official criteria for formally paying tribute to community leaders at a recently renamed park.

At a Jan. 15 City Council meeting, Mayor Mark Perry announced some proposed rules for considering and inducting notable city figures, past and present, for a permanent memorial at Memorial Park, which had been Triangle Park.

The city accepted a petition to have Mayor Bill Bohlke's name be the first with a plaque at the park. Bolhke died last year in an accident, more than three months into his first term in office.

Key proposed rules include a petition with at least 500 signatures, a written explanation of why a specific person should be memorialized, that person's length of stay in Hollywood Park, and his/her contributions to the community. The latter would include any local organizational affiliations and public service, if applicable.

Council was to consider one candidate once only with a final vote being permanent. However, some council members questioned a few of the proposed criteria, such as composing a plaque and its placement, the permanent nature of a considered individual and an age limit for petition signers.

“Who pays for the plaque? What size will the plaque be? Who will put it up? There are millions of questions,” said Councilman Paul Homburg.

“I'm not trying to stop a memorial for Mr. Bohlke. I'm trying to be fair. This needs to be done in an even-handed manner.”

Perry responded council and staff could handle composition of the plaque and its verbiage, and that residents could wait at least two years between the last time they'd nominate a certain individual and the next time they could renominate him or her, if necessary. Perry also approved of an age limit for petition signers: 18 years old.

City attorney Michael Brenan suggested formalizing the criteria as an ordinance, which couldn't yet be voted on at this council meeting.

“So, that's what we're voting on — an ordinance next month?” Homburg asked.

“Yes, we're continuing to kick the can,” Perry replied.

City engineer David Givler briefed council on a potential citywide road and drainage project. Givler recommended that officials prioritize trouble spots to help keep total costs down.

Based on a recent survey, Givler said several streets require a range of repair work, from chip-sealing to total reconstruction. Initial estimates for roadwork alone range from $10 million to $12.4 million, depending on the scope of work involved.

Initial estimates for drainage improvements range from $1.62 million to $2.04 million. The city's street fund currently has $229,000.

“This is not a feel-good project. This is a must-do project,” Councilman Steve Phillips said.

Council also passed a resolution asking the Texas Department of Transportation to have more coordination with the city when it comes to completion of state roadwork around Hollywood Park.

Councilwoman Sudie Sartor said TxDOT has not yet formally asked the city for any official coordination.

She and other local officials fear that if and when tolls are placed on parts of the new Loop 1604/U.S. 281 interchange, many motorists could be tempted to add onto the town's ongoing cut-through traffic problem.

“Our residents would have to pay tolls just to get out of the neighborhood. I don't think that's right when we've already paid for the roads,” she added.

Hill Country Village City Council tasked City Administrator Frank Morales to talk with city engineer David Givler about how much in local road and drainage improvements would a range of $1.2 million to $1.5 million buy.

Givler has assessed the city's roads, but last discussed the matter with council more than a year ago.

The city's road maintenance fund presently contains $1.08 million but that figure could grow to $1.2 million by October, the end of the current fiscal year.

Past talks about a citywide road and drainage project have included bicycle trails.

Councilman George “Rick” Evans, during a Jan. 17 council meeting, urged his colleagues to tread lightly about bike trails, saying it's a sensitive subject locally and he urged getting more public input before anything is settled.

Councilwoman Jane Cronk asked if the city could pursue any wellness-related grants to help keep taxpayer costs down a bit regarding bike trails in any future project.

Council also decided to have the city spend budgeted funds to purchase 10 patrol rifles for the police department.

Morales, also police chief, and his colleagues originally proposed having the officers reimburse the city through payroll deductions over the next year to fund such a purchase.

But council felt more comfortable with buying such rifles and tagging them city property.

Olmos Park City Council voted 3-2 Jan. 17 to spend $77,667 to fund two new police officers, and $43,100 on a new police vehicle.

These acquisitions, as well as the addition of a police department administrative secretary, are part of the city's ongoing effort to battle a criminal trend that includes a surge in car burglaries.

City Manager Mike Simpson identified different general and special city fund accounts that could be used together in ways to help fund this bolstering of the police department.

“The federal government often votes to do something but doesn't fund it,” Councilwoman Pat Semmes said. “We're charged with the protection and safety of our citizens. We tasked the city manager to look for ways to accomplish this.”

While all council members agreed the police department requires all the assistance it can get to improve local public safety, Enzo Pellegrino and Sharon Plant voiced concern that these amendments to the current fiscal year 2013 budget may negatively affect preparations on the FY 2014 budget.

Last year, Pellegrino and Councilman Ernie Locker worked on a committee that delved into city employee compensation issues.

Pellegrino agreed with some of Semmes' sentiments, but added: “But we also charged with looking after the employees, cost of living and other such costs. I'm still very concerned about this.”

Council also called a special meeting for 6 p.m. Feb. 13 to conduct two public hearings. One hearing involves a sub-committee's recommendation to reduce the height of accessory structures from 35 feet to 25 feet.

The other hearing is about a suggestion to change the scope of work and authority that presently lie with the city's planning and zoning commission.

In other city news, the interim tag has been taken off of Police Chief Fritz Bohne's title. The city appointed him to lead the police department last summer when Fred Solis retired,

Additionally, the local economic development corporation has begun its engineering survey of the McCullough Avenue economic corridor.

eortiz@primetimenewspapers.com. Editor's note: Filing for May 11 general elections begins Wednesday. A Jan. 31 North Central News article will list elected offices on the ballot and current incumbents.